Embroidered Baby Border Free Pattern

Baby Nursery Hand Embroidery Pattern

Baby Border Hand Embroidery Pattern. Mollie Johanson

Planning on embroidering something special for a baby gift? Or maybe you want to make a pretty hoop for the nursery? This free baby border embroidery pattern is a delicate design that's also easily customizable.

The border itself has a collection of classic baby items such as a block, a bottle, a teddy bear and baby buggy, along with some tiny flowers and star stitches. The pattern also has "baby" inside, but you can change or add to this several ways.

Customizing the Pattern

Instead of stitching "baby" in the center, customize the pattern with a name. To do this, type the name in either a simple or script font. If you want, you can also add information about the birth, such as the date, weight and length of the baby in a smaller type size. Simple fonts are best for this because they're easier to read.

When you mark the pattern on linen or other embroidery fabric, simply skip the "baby" portion and then go back and add your newly created lettering pattern so that it is centered in the the frame.

You can also use the tiny motifs from the border on their own. Try stitching them on baby onesies!

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Downloadable Baby Border Embroidery Pattern

Baby Border Embroidery Pattern. Molie Johanson

Pattern Marking

To use this pattern, download the JPG file and print it out. Set the print size so the pattern fills a standard US letter or A4 page. This will fit within a 7-inch embroidery hoop for framing. You can enlarge this design and tile it over more than one page, but shrinking the pattern is not recommended.

Mark the embroidery pattern using your favorite method. Due to the tiny size of the images in the border, use a method that will capture the details as accurately as possible. A fine-tip water-soluble pen works well for this, as would water-soluble stabilizer. Just be sure that the lines can wash away, because the stitching will be tiny and won't cover permanent lines very well.

Strands and Color Ideas

Use only two strands of embroidery floss throughout the pattern.

This design is perfect for stitching in a single color or with one color for the border and a second color for the name. The embroidered sample was worked entirely in DMC Color Variations floss, which has a variegated look with several color tones.

If you're stitching this for a nursery, choose neutrals, pastels or colors that fit with the decor. Instead of using only one or two colors, use embroidery threads that are a natural fit for the items in the frame, plus additional colors for the extra details.

Embroidery Stitches

Simple stitches are a good choice for the baby border, as they will be quite small. Feel free to adapt the stitch recommendations or use the stitches shown in the example.

Use back stitch for the baby motif outlines. Embroider the tiny flowers with detached chain stitches. Use French knots for all dots in the pattern, including the centers of the flowers. Work the tiny twinkles with star stitch. Use running stitch for the border and chain stitch for the lettering.

If you create your own lettering for the center, you may want to change the stitches to be a better fit for the font you use.